Bus door operator with positive latch

ABSTRACT

A vehicle door opening operating arm assembly including a handle releasable latch operative to prevent the operating arm for the door to move from the position thereof assumed when the door is closed until such time as a pull is exerted on the handle in a predetermined direction.

United States Satent [191 Rumph et a1. [45] Mar. 27, 1973 BUS DOOR OPERATOR WITH 791,164 5/1905 Pitt ..l60/188 POSITIVE LATCH 1,347,193 7/1920 Wade et a1. ..49/302 2,725,099 11/1955 Frie et a1. ....l60/188 [75 1 Wilbur Rump, Marshanvme; 2,787,461 4/1957 Steele ..49/302 William Leon Ragan, Henderson, both of Primary Examiner-Charles J. Myhre [73] Assignee: Blue Bird Body Company Fort Assistant Examiner-Wesley S. Ratliff, Jr.

Valley, Ga. Attorney-Harvey B. Jacobson [22] Filed: Oct. 26, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [2]] Appl A vehicle door opening operating arm assembly including a handle releasable latch operative to prevent [52] US. Cl. ..74/96, 160/ 1 88, 49/302 the operating arm for the door to move from the posi- [51] Int. Cl ..F16h 21/44 tion thereof assumed when the door is closed until [58] Field of Search ..74/96; 49/300, 302, 357; such time as a pull is exerted on the handle in a 292/ 1 13, 66, 263; 160/188 predetermined direction.

5 References Cited 11 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 760,108 5/1904 Dietz ..74/96 PATENTEEHARZNUYS 3 722,303

SHEET 2 EF 2 l-lli i zz BUS DOOR OPERATOR WITH POSITIVE LATCH Conventionally, school bus doors and the like are opened and closed by means of a swingable operating arm connected to the door through a connecting rod and with the arm supported for movement to an over center position when actuated to close the door. However, in most instances force applied to the connecting rod can be operative to swing the operating arm to a position allowing the door to open.

This condition provides the basis for unintentional opening of the door and especially in the event a person with whom the associated bus is thrown forwardly due to rapid deceleration of the bus.

It is accordingly the main object of this invention to provide an operating arm assembly for a bus door including latch means whereby the operating arm and thus the connecting rod connecting the operating arm to the associated door, will be maintained in position with the bus door closed until such time as a force is applied to the handle of the operating arm in a predetermined direction, toward the rear of the bus.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bus door operating arm with a positive latch that may be readily incorporated into the designing of various types of bus door operating arm constructions.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a bus door operating arm construction with positive latch means in accordance with the preceding objects and which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the bus door operating mechanism operatively associated with a conventional type of bus door and with the positive latch mechanism incorporated into the operating arm structure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the left hand portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the assembly illustrated in FIG. 2 as seen from the left side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 3 but with the handle portion of the operating arm rearwardly displaced to release the latch preparatory to rearward swing of the operating arm;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the pivot mounting of the operating arm;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the handle end of the operating arm;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrating the operating arm utilized in conjunc tion with a longer connecting rod and a different type of door;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of operating arm with latch;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the assembly illustrated in FIG. 8 as seen from the lower side thereof,

And FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view similar to FIG. 8 but illustrating the modified form of operating arm in the released position.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 generally designates a bus including a bifold door 12. A support structure referred to in general by the reference numeral 14 is supported within the bus 10 and oscilatably supports an operating arm assembly referred to in general by the reference numeral 16 therefrom. One end of the operating arm assembly has a first end of a connecting rod 18 pivotally secured thereto as at 20 and the other end of the connecting rod 18 is pivotally secured to the door element 22 of the bifold door 12 as at 24.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings the bifold door 12 is illustrated in a closed position by solid lines and in the open position by phantom lines. It will also be noted that the operating arm assembly 16 is swung somewhat greater than l80 from the solid line position thereof to the phantom line position thereof during the process of opening the door 12.

With attention directed now more specifically to FIGS. 1-6 of the drawings, it may be seen that the operating arm assembly 16 includes parallel upper and lower arm elements 28 and 30 suitably interconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a spacer 32, see FIG. 6. The other pair of corresponding ends of the arm elements 28 and 30 are pivotally secured to the support structure 14 by means of a pivot fastener 34 about which a second spacer sleeve 36 is disposed between the element 38 and 30. A stop flange 38 is supported within the support structure 14 for limiting swinging movement of the operating arm assembly 16 to the solid line position thereof illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5 of the drawings and a handle lever 40 has one end thereof pivotally secured to the end of the operating arm assembly 16 remote from the connecting rod 18 by means of a suitable fastener 42 secured through a bore 44 formed in the handle lever 40 and a sleeve 46 disposed between the elements 28 and 30 in register with corresponding apertures 48 formed in the elements 28 and 30 through which the fastener 42 also extends. The handle lever 40 includes a pair of opposite side down turned stop flanges 50 and 52 engageable with opposite sides of the arm element 28 to limit oscillation of handle lever 40 relative to the operating arm assembly 16. An upstanding hand grip or handle 54 is secured to the end of the handle lever 40 remote from the bore 44 by means of a fastener 56 secured through a bore 58 formed in the handle lever 40 and the latter includes an abutment arm 60 projecting forwardly of the end thereof adjacent to the bore 58. The outer end of the abutment arm 60 includes a locating pin 62 projecting toward the opposite end of the handle lever 40 and a latch dog 64 is pivotally secured to the handle lever 40 by means of a fastener 66 secured through an aperture 68 formed in the latch dog 64 and a corresponding aperture 70 formed in the handle lever 40. The latch dog 64 projects forwardly of the forward side of the handle lever 40 and includes a locating pin 72 projecting toward the locating pin 62, a coiled compression spring 74 having its opposite ends engaged with the portions of the confronting sides of the latch dog 64 and the abutment arm 60 disposed about the locating pin 62 and 72.

The outer end of the latch dog 64 includes a hook 76 which projects toward and is engageable in front of a keeper flange 78 carried by the support structure 14.

In operation, as the operating arm assembly 16 is swung in a clockwise direction toward its final limit position of movement in that direction the stop flange 50 is abutted against the adjacent side of the arm element 28 and the cam surface 80 on the outer end of the latch dog 64 engages the keeper flange 78 so as to swing the free end of the latch dog 64 toward the outer end of the abutment end 60 against the biasing action of the spring 74 in order to enable the hook 76 to pass the keeper flange 78 after which the spring 74 positions the hook 76 in front of the keeper flange 78 in order to prevent the left hand end of the operating arm assembly 16 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings from swinging rearwardly to open the door 12.

However, when it is desired to open the door 12, rearward hand pressure is applied on the handle 54 to swing the handle lever 40 in a counterclockwise direction relative to the arm element 28 toward the limit position of movement in that direction defined by engagement of the stop flange 52 with the forward side of the arm element 28. However, before the stop flange S2 abuts the forward side of the arm element 28, the upstanding lug 84, see FIG. 6 carried by the handle lever 40 engages the opposing side of the latch dog 64 to swing the latter in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings thereby swinging the hook 76 from behind the flange 78 to release the adjacent end of the operating arm assembly 16 for rearwardswinging movement whereby the operating arm assembly 16 may be swung from the solid position thereof as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings to the phantom line position illustrated in FIG. 1 in order to open the door 12.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIGS. 8-10 of the drawings, there will be seen a modified form of positive latch. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 8-10, thesupport structure 14' corresponding to the support structure 14 is provided with a stop abutment l5 and a latch dog 17 is pivotally supported from the arm element 28 as at 19. The handle lever 40' corresponding to the lever 40 includes stop flanges 50 and 52' corresponding to the flanges 50 and 52, but the stop flange 50 includes an extension 51 swingable over the arm element 28 and engageable with the latch dog 17 upon a rearward pull of the handle 54' corresponding to the handle 54 in order to swing the latch dog 17 from the operative position illustrated in FIG. 8 of the drawings to the inoperative position illustrated in FIG. 10 of the drawings with the latch dog 17 out of registry withthe stop abutment so that the operating arm may be swung to a position corresponding to the phantom line position of the operating arm assembly 16 illustrated in phantom line of FIG. 1.

Accordingly, the operation of the operating arm structure illustrated in FIGS. 8-10 is substantially identical to the operation of the operating arm structure l6 ofFIGS. 1-6.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG. 7 of the drawings, it may be seen that a modified connecting rod 18 is connected between a single bore element 22' and the end of the operating arm assembly 16 from which the handle lever 40 is pivotally secured. By this construction, the operating arm assembly 16 may be utilized to exert a push on the single door element 22' as opposed to a pull on the door element 22. Of course, as may be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings, the arm element 30 in the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 includes an extended end 30' to which the adjacent end of a connecting rod 18 is pivotally secured.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the inventionpFurther, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a support, a vehicle door operating arm pivotally supported at a point spaced from one end thereof from said support for oscillation relative thereto between door closed and door open limit positions, said one end of said arm including an elongated extension lever, means pivotally securing one end portion of said lever to said one end of said arm for limited oscillation relative thereto and with the other end of said lever projecting end wise outwardly of said one end of said arm, and latch means responsive to a lateral thrust on said other end of said extension lever in a direction to swing said operating arm toward said door closed position to latch said arm in said door closed position against a swinging movement toward said door open position as said arm is swung to said door closed position and responsive only to a lateral thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction to release said latch means for swinging of said operating arm toward said door open position.

2. In combination, a support, a vehicle door operating arm pivotally supported at a point spaced from one end thereof from said support for oscillation relative to said support between door closed and door open limit positions, and handle means supported from said arm for limited lateral shifting relative thereto, said handle means and support including coacting latch means responsive to a thrust on said handle means on one lateral direction relative to said arm as the latter is swung to the closed position to latch said arm in said door closed position against movement toward said door open position and responsive only to a lateral thrust on said handle means in the opposite lateral direction relative to said arm to release said latch means for swinging of said arm toward said door open position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever including an abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an abutment carried by said support and a latch dog carried by said operating arm and shiftable between operative and inoperative positions with said latch dog registered with and disposed behind said abutment when in said operative position and disposed in a retracted position when in said inoperative position for passage past said abutment in response to swing of said operating on toward said door open position, said extension lever including means coacting with said latch dog to swing the latter toward its operative position in response to said other end of said lever being swung in in the direction of movement of said end of said arm toward said door closed position and to move said latch dog to said inoperative position in response to said extension lever being swung in the opposite direction relative to said operating arm.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said other end of said arm includes an extension disposed on the side of said pivot point remote from said end of said arm and an elongated door operating connecting rod having one end pivotally secured to the terminal end portion of said extension, the other end of said rod being adapted for pivotal securement to a vehicle door.

6. The combination of claim 1 including an elongated door operating rod pivotally secured at one end to said one end of said arm, the other end of said operating rod being adapted for pivotal securement to a vehicle door.

7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said operating arm comprises a pair of elongated generally parallel arm elements interconnected at a plurality of points spaced therealong.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other'end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever including an abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.

The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever includingan abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an abutment carried by said support and a latch dog carried by said operating arm and shiftable between operative and inoperative positions with said latch dog registered with and disposed behind said abutment when in said operative position and disposed in a retracted position when in .said inoperative position for passage past said abutment in response to swing of said operating on toward said door open position, said extension lever including means coacting with said latch dog to swing the latter toward its operative position in response to said other end of said lever being swung in in the direction of movement of said end of said arm toward said door closed position and to move said latch dog to said inoperative position in response to said extension lever being swung in the opposite direction relative to said operating arm.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said operating arm comprises a pair of elongated generally parallel arm elements interconnected at a plurality of points spaced therealong. 

1. In combination, a support, a vehicle door operating arm pivotally supported at a point spaced from one end thereof from said support for oscillation relative thereto between door cloSed and door open limit positions, said one end of said arm including an elongated extension lever, means pivotally securing one end portion of said lever to said one end of said arm for limited oscillation relative thereto and with the other end of said lever projecting end wise outwardly of said one end of said arm, and latch means responsive to a lateral thrust on said other end of said extension lever in a direction to swing said operating arm toward said door closed position to latch said arm in said door closed position against a swinging movement toward said door open position as said arm is swung to said door closed position and responsive only to a lateral thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction to release said latch means for swinging of said operating arm toward said door open position.
 2. In combination, a support, a vehicle door operating arm pivotally supported at a point spaced from one end thereof from said support for oscillation relative to said support between door closed and door open limit positions, and handle means supported from said arm for limited lateral shifting relative thereto, said handle means and support including coacting latch means responsive to a thrust on said handle means on one lateral direction relative to said arm as the latter is swung to the closed position to latch said arm in said door closed position against movement toward said door open position and responsive only to a lateral thrust on said handle means in the opposite lateral direction relative to said arm to release said latch means for swinging of said arm toward said door open position.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever including an abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an abutment carried by said support and a latch dog carried by said operating arm and shiftable between operative and inoperative positions with said latch dog registered with and disposed behind said abutment when in said operative position and disposed in a retracted position when in said inoperative position for passage past said abutment in response to swing of said operating on toward said door open position, said extension lever including means coacting with said latch dog to swing the latter toward its operative position in response to said other end of said lever being swung in in the direction of movement of said end of said arm toward said door closed position and to move said latch dog to said inoperative position in response to said extension lever being swung in the opposite direction relative to said operating arm.
 5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said other end of said arm includes an extension disposed on the side of said pivot point remote from said end of said arm and an elongated door operating connecting rod having one end pivotally secured to the terminal end portion of said extension, the other end of said rod being adApted for pivotal securement to a vehicle door.
 6. The combination of claim 1 including an elongated door operating rod pivotally secured at one end to said one end of said arm, the other end of said operating rod being adapted for pivotal securement to a vehicle door.
 7. The combination of claim 1 wherein said operating arm comprises a pair of elongated generally parallel arm elements interconnected at a plurality of points spaced therealong.
 8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever including an abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.
 9. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an elongated lever pivotally secured at one end to the other end portion of said extension lever, the other end of said latch means lever including a laterally directed hook abutment surface, said support including a second abutment surface behind which said hook abutment surface is engageable when said arm is in said door closed position, said extension lever including an abutment flange engageable by the side of said latch means lever outwardly from which said hook abutment surface is directed in order to limit swinging movement of said latch means lever in the direction toward which said hook abutment surface projects away from said latch means lever, and spring means connected between said latch means lever and said extension lever usingly urging said latch means lever in said direction, said abutment flange, upon said thrust on said other end of said extension lever in the opposite direction, being operative to cause said elongated latch means lever to swing with said extension lever in order to uncover said hook abutment surface from behind said second abutment surface.
 10. The combination of claim 1 wherein said latch means includes an abutment carried by said support and a latch dog carried by said operating arm and shiftable between operative and inoperative positions with said latch dog registered with and disposed behind said abutment when in said operative position and disposed in a retracted position when in said inoperative position for passage past said abutment in response to swing of said operating on toward said door open position, said extension lever including means coacting with said latch dog to swing the latter toward its operative position in response to said other end of said lever being swung in in the direction of movement of said end of said arm toward said door closed position and to move said latch dog to said inoperative position in response to said extension lever being swung in the opposite direction relative to said operating arm.
 11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said operating arm comprises a pair of elongated generally parallel arm elements interconnected at a plurality of points spaced therealong. 